Solar power to save schools $15,000 annually

Medway High School solar PV project advances Massachusetts clean energy with rooftop solar panels, PPA financing, MassCEC and DOER support, delivering affordable renewable electricity and teaching tools for students at Medway High.

Governor Deval Patrick and state and local officials attended an event at Medway High School to celebrate the completion of the Medway High School Solar PV Project and to highlight the unique partnership that helped realize both the economic and environmental benefits of the project.

The project was a collaboration between Broadway Electrical Co., Inc, a leading fullservice, family owned electrical construction and solar energy installation company, Medway Public Schools, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center MassCEC, and the Department of Energy Resources DOER, as the state is ramping up renewable energy across communities.

“Our administration has made it a priority to support and grow the state’s solar industry, as utilities look to the sun nationwide, and we are seeing the results today,” Governor Patrick said. “I commend the Medway Public Schools and Broadway Electrical for helping the Commonwealth make the transition to a clean energy economy and setting an example for communities and businesses throughout the state.”

“Under Governor Patrick, solar power has gone from novelty to the mainstream, as solar and wind vie for stimulus funds nationwide,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles, who serves as chairman of the MassCEC board. “We are on the way toward increasing nearly twentyfold the amount of installed solar since Governor Patrick took office. Installations like this one at Medway High mean more clean energy and more jobs for Massachusetts.”

Utilizing an innovative new financing mechanism made possible by the Green Communities Act of 2008, which was championed by the Governor and the Massachusetts Legislature, Medway Public Schools received a $535,000 grant from MassCEC to offset the costs of installing solar panels at the High School. In June 2009, the Medway Public Schools conducted a competitive procurement process in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws Ch. 25A, much like NYPA solar RFPs that drew strong interest, allowing municipalities to engage private third parties to provide turnkey energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions under a performancebased energy contract.

It was through this process, and with unanimous support from Medway’s Town Meeting, that Broadway Electrical was selected to design, install and own and operate the 132 kW solar PV system, as WMECo develops a 4.2 MW project elsewhere in Massachusetts today, on two of the four roofs of Medway High School’s auditorium and gymnasium.

“Not only will the newly installed solar panels help reduce the high school’s utility bills, but they will serve as a teaching tool to our students about energy efficiency by allowing them to monitor the output of the panels, much like the Athenian School solar program demonstrates in practice,” said Richard L. Pearson, Principal of Medway High School.

Broadway Electrical engineered, procured, constructed and financed the installation, which required no capital investment by Medway’s taxpayers, and will own and maintain the system. In addition, Broadway Electrical will sell all of the power generated by the system to the School Department at a significantly discounted cost, saving the school budget over $15,000 annually on its energy bills.

“This project would not have been possible without the leadership and commitment to renewable energy by the Governor, Legislature and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” said Lawrence M. Hurwitz, CEO, Broadway Electrical Co., Inc. “We are thrilled to have played a pivotal role in connecting the private sector with a public school, as plans for the largest solar plant in New England move forward regionally, which generated numerous green collar jobs in the nearterm during the installation process and will provide exceptional cost savings to the school for the longterm.”

MassCEC is thrilled with the effort that Medway is taking to help reduce its dependence on fossil fuel,” said MassCEC Executive Director Patrick Cloney. “Medway is setting a great example for the Commonwealth while adding more megawatts of solar power to Governor Patricks goal of 250 MW of solar energy by 2017.

The system, comprised of a SATCON PowerGate 135 KW Inverter, 660 Suntech 200W solar panels mounted via a PanelClaw Polar Bear FR Mounting System and will provide an annual consumption offset/reduction of 10 of total building usage and annual savings of over $15,000 to Medway Public Schools.

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